Babunagari picked as Hefajat amir

As a gap is widening within Hefajat-e-Islam, the Qawmi madrasa-based Islamist organisation has picked Junayed Babunagari as its amir in a council held at Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari Madrasa yesterday.

Moulana Mahfuzul Haque, general secretary of Befakul Madrisil Arabia Bangladesh (a platform of Qawmi madrasas), declared Junayed's name as the amir at the end of  the council, which began at 10:35am and continued till 3:30pm.

Attended by 400 people from across the country, the council also selected Nur Hossain Qasemi, principal of Jamia Madania Baridhara Madrasa of Dhaka, as secretary general.

Moulana Muhibullah Babunagari was made chief of the advisory body, which accommodated 20 advisers.

Before this committee, Junayed served Hefajat as secretary general, while Nur Hossain Qasemi was amir of Hefajat-e-Islam's Dhaka unit.

A central committee of 151 members was also formed during the council.

The meeting was held around two months after the death Hefajat Amir Ahmed Shafi, who passed away on September 18.

The new committee excluded almost all who were pro-Ahmed Shafi, including his son Moulana Anas Madani.

Apart from him, Moulana Mainuddin Ruhi, joint secretary general of the former committee, Mufti Faizullah, founding joint-secretary general of former committee, Mufti Moulana Abul Hasnat Amini, nayeb-a-amir, Anas Madani, publicity secretary and Moulana Kolimullah and joint secretary general of former committee, could not make it to the new committee.

The committee list was, however, not made public till the filing of the report on Sunday evening.

Asked, Moulana Meer Edris, a member of the council preparation committee, did not say why those who held posts earlier in the committee were omitted this time, but asked journalists to wait for further development.

Hefajat sources told The Daily Star that Junayed Babunagari, Nur Hossain Qasemi, and leaders of Khelafat-e-Majlis, basically shaped the committee. Junayed was made amir as he has the biggest influence on Hathazari Madrasas compared to other leaders.

Soon after the council, Moulana Mainuddin Ruhi told this newspaper that this committee is completely illegal as it did not follow organisation regulations.

Refusing to accept the new committee, he said Hefajat-e-Islam never had any top leader "who had affiliations with any political party".

This is first the time that it accommodated a secretary general who is also secretary general of Jamiyat-a-Ulamaye Islam -- a component of the 20-party alliance led by BNP, he added.

Terming Hefajat a non-political platform, he said the man who convened the council is not a member of Hefajat-e-Islam, which is why the whole council, including today's committee, is illegal.

Azizul Haque Islamabadi, organising secretary of Hefajat-e-Islam, told The Daily Star that these are baseless comments. "The committee was formed unanimously with consent from all councillors who gathered yesterday from across the country."

Mohammad Moinuddin, brother-in-law of late Ahmed Shafi, in a press conference demanded judicial probe into Shafi's death. He claims that Mufti Harun Ezhar, Inamul Hasan, Meer Edris, Nasir Uddin Munir, in presence of Junayed Babunagari, played a role in the death.

He also requested not to form any committee before the judicial enquiry.

Alleging that Hefajat, being a non-political entity, is sliding into the grip of the BNP-Jamaat, led by anti-Shafi elements, he urged his fellows to come forward in resisting the force that is using Hefajat for political gains.

Moulana Mainuddin Ruhi, Moulana Sarwar, Moulana Ashraf Uddin and Moulana Osman Qasemi were present among others in the press conference in this regard.

On the occasion of Hefajat's council, police and local administrations deployed additional forces, including Rab and riot police, led by three executive magistrates, at various corners of Hathazari upazila to avoid any untoward situation.